The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-12
MR.. PENLITTLE'S FRIEND.
BY ELIZABETH P. ALLAN.

The north bound train stopped for a
scant half minute at Wyndham, small
station-house set in thick oak and chest
nut woods, and one passenger swung
quickly down to the platform.
Two vehicles were waiting; the colored
coachman of one turned his bays home
ward, it had not suited the bays master
to come out from the city by that train.
The other carriage, light phaeton, held
only pretty woman, who managed her
reins with saucy carelessness which
was fully justified by the sedate appear
ance of her little horse. The one passen-
ger was evidently her property.
"Was it very hot in town to-day,
Frank?" This was a leading question.
by which Mr.. Penlittle's pretty driver
hoped to find out why her husband look
ed so pale, without suggesting to him
that she noticed his pallor.
"Oh, September heats are always
oppressive in town." answered the gen.
tleman YEARLY, sand 1 hsvn't felt very
well to day. But come, little woman, cast
that shadow from thy brow and let's go
and take long drive down the river
road"
There we're various social and domestic
reasons that made this drive untimely for
Mrs. Penlittle; but such was the fashion
of her wifehood that the bottom might
have dropped out of her affairs before
she would have refused to do her hus-
bands pleasure. She turned her pony's
head to the river.
The drive was not a happy one to
her. She was distinctly conscious that
something had troubled her gay, pleas
ure loving husband, and he, on his part,
knew that his forced gayety was not de-
ceiying her. He knew this SO well that
he gave up the effort after awhile, and
let her do all the talking.
Mr.. Frank Penlittle had been favor
tie with men and women ever since he
had worn short skirts and long curls. 1t
is not enough to say that he was hand
some; he had that charm of face and
voice and manner which is only found in
one woman among thousand; it is safe
to say that no one man in ten times that
number possesses it, and then, alas, he is
not likely to be a very manly fellow.
Marie Ricord had fallen desperately in
love with Mr.. Penlittle, had turned cold
ly away from twenty better men, had mar
ried him, and had spent five years of
vivid happiness, mixed with vague rest
less longings, which her husbands light
nature did not satisfy.
When the evening mail came in, Mrs.
Penlittle was sitting on the vine-shaded
portico, waiting for her husband, who
was unusually dilstory about making his
toilet. She opened the four o'clock paper,
and was stunned by the announcement
of it's latest column:
Astounding defalcation Mr.. Now
bray's sudden disappearancel launching
with his friend! Fifty thousand dollars"
There followed these cruel capitals a
brief account of some dishonesty in the
accounts of the Fifth Street Bank, by
which fifty thousand dollars had been
filched out of it's moneys, and the theft
proved at once on Arthur Mowbray by his
fight.
Mrs. Penlittle felt as if some one had
struck her hard blow. Mr.. Mowbray
was their near neighbor, their life long
friend, and had been in the old days her
ardent lover. His position in the bank
was similar to Mr.. Penlittle's. 1t was
Mr.. MOwbray's carriage that had gone
away empty from the station but two
hours before; it was with Mr.. Penlittle
that the guilty mau had lunched half an
hour before leaving the city, and Mr..
Penlittle, the report stated, had stopped
all proceedings against his friend, by
giving guarantees that within thirty days.
he would on behalf of Arthur Mowbrsy,
refund the money.
The paper slipped to the floor, and the
lady's dropped face was covered with
both hands; she heard her husbands
step at the door, and met him with a
burst OF tears. Mr.. Penlittle looked
even more sgitated than his wife.
81 could not tell you this afternoon,
darling" he said. 81 just could not make
up my mind to give you such shock"
"But it cannot be, Frank, it cannot be;